Yesterday I broke down whether or not I think the Eagles will keep McNabb next year. Today we take a look at whether or not I think the Eagles should keep McNabb next year and beyond. The answer after long thought and reflection is a very sad and surprising no. It is time for the Eagles, the city of Philadelphia and Donovan McNabb to move on.

I have long been a McNabb backer. He has been a top 10 quarterback throughout the decade. I remember the dark pre-McNabb years all too well. Between Randall and Donovan we had: Pederson, Detmer, Hoying, Detmer, Peete, Rypien, Brister, and O’Brien (shutter.) Do we want to risk going back to that revolving door of incompetence again if Kolb isn’t everything that that Coach Reid has been telling us that he is? Yes. And it’s a risk I’m willing to take.

We know what we have with McNabb and that’s great. But we also know what we have with McNabb, and that blows. Like I’ve said previously, McNabb will beat the bad teams, but not the great ones. After reading Ray Didinger’s Season Review, which broke it down much more eloquently than I could ever imagine doing, I was convinced. McNabb was 0-5 against playoff teams this year. The Birds were outscored 157-73 in those games. Another typical year for a McNabb lead team.

We’ve seen this constantly throughout the decade. McNabb feasting on inferior opponents while coming up small against the superior ones. Same as always. Now I realize there’s a whole team out there and Reid’s also been here the whole decade as well, but McNabb is the only constant in question right now.

It’s been a great ride. A real blast. 100+ wins in the regular season. 10+ wins in the playoffs. Sundays during the season have been fantastic, putting everyone in a good mood for the whole week. We thank you Donovan, it’s been real. But it’s time to for you to go.

The heartbreak at the end of every season has just become too much, Donovan. That look you have after you one hop a pass in the playoffs. The way you clap your hands together and throw your head back after you just overthrew a wide open a receiver is just all too familiar in January. The blank stare on the sideline as the other team is kneeling down in the final minute as you get ready for another trip to Hawaii is just too much for us to take anymore. It just hurts too much. It’s time for a change. Good, bad or otherwise.

Will the Kolb era be any better? Odds are no. I mean, look back at those numbers for the last ten years. If I asked you in 1999 if you would be disappointed at the end of the next decade after eight trips to the playoffs, five to the NFC Championship and one shot at the Super Bowl, you would probably punch me in the face.

But here we are. We’ve grown accustomed to a certain level of winning with this team, but now we want more. It’s clear that McNabb does not have the tools to get us to the promised land. It’s time for us all to move on. Let’s all take a deep breath, close our eyes, and prey to sweet Jesus that Kevin Kolb is not the next Bobby Hoying. God have mercy on us all.